The skin on the feet is naturally dry, unlike the skin on the rest of the body. The skin of the feet does not have sebaceous glands, so it depends on hundreds of thousands of sweat glands to keep the feet hydrated. This can be quite problematic for people who don’t properly moisturize their feet on a regular basis or have medical conditions like diabetes or athlete’s foot that increase dry feet.
Dry pues can range in severity from mild to severe dryness which can cause additional problems. There are ways to prevent this area of the body from drying out, such as keeping them hydrated, avoiding rubbing or scratching the skin. It is easy to detect dry feet, but the most common symptoms are: itching, redness, cracks or fissures on the feet, rough skin, scaly skin, peeling skin, etc.
Dry feet can be caused by many reasons such as: excessively hot showers or baths, a skin condition that dries it out, soaps that are not moisturizing, diabetes, thyroid, cold, low levels of humidity in the home, the aging or long periods of sun exposure.
How to get your feet not to dry out?
If you want to ensure that your feet do not dry out, you will have to prevent it by taking a series of measures into account:
- Talk to your doctor about possible moisturizing creams or lotions to improve the dryness of your skin or avoid it by always keeping them well hydrated.
- Do not rub your feet, if you feel discomfort apply cold cloths or ice packs for a few minutes on your feet.
- Don’t wash your feet too often. Avoid bubble baths, scented soaps, or products that can make your feet dry.
- Dry your feet with a towel without rubbing.
- Use lukewarm water instead of hot water to wash your feet. Heat contributes to dry feet.
- Avoid saunas and steam rooms.
- Moisturize your feet every time you get out of the shower or every time your feet are in contact with water.
- Wear shoes that allow your feet to breathe well, if your feet sweat too much it can be a reason for them to dry out.
Avoid alcohol and caffeine because itchy feet can make it worse.
